Title: Network Fingerprinting
Description: Scan and identify devices on your Ethernet network.
URL: /v2.1/ethernet/fingerprinting/
Version: v2.1
Section: Ethernet
Search index: /search-index.json

# Network Fingerprinting

> Scan and identify devices on your Ethernet network.

## On this page

- [Overview](#overview)
- [Prerequisites](#prerequisites)
- [How to Use](#how-to-use)
- [Via Terminal](#via-terminal)
- [Via GhostLink Display Menu](#via-ghostlink-display-menu)
- [Understanding Results](#understanding-results)
- [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting)

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Network fingerprinting discovers and identifies devices on your Ethernet network. GhostESP scans for common protocols to build a device profile.
## Overview
When you run a fingerprint scan, GhostESP listens for network traffic and service announcements to identify devices. It looks for:
- mDNS — Service announcements (printers, speakers, etc.)
- NBNS (NetBIOS Name Service) — Windows device name broadcasts
- SSDP — UPnP device announcements
The scan collects device names, IP addresses, detected device types (Chromecast, Roku, Apple, Samsung, etc.), and service information.
## Prerequisites
- A device with Ethernet support (CONFIG_WITH_ETHERNET enabled)
- Access to the device via GhostLink display menu or terminal
- A network with active devices
## How to Use
### Via Terminal
Run the fingerprint scan from the terminal:
ethfp
The scan will run for approximately 3 seconds and display discovered devices with their details:
IP Address: 192.168.1.100
Device Name: Living-Room-TV
Device Type: Samsung
Service: upnp
### Via GhostLink Display Menu
- Connect to the Banshee device via GhostLink
- Navigate to Ethernet menu
- Select Fingerprint Scan
- Wait for the scan to complete (approximately 3 seconds)
- View the list of discovered devices
## Understanding Results
Each discovered device shows:
- IP Address — The device’s IP on the network
- Device Name — Hostname or friendly name if available
- Device Type — Detected manufacturer or device category (Samsung, Apple, Google, etc.)
- Service Type — Protocol used for detection (mDNS, SSDP, NBNS)
- OS Info — Operating system or device model if detected
## Troubleshooting
- No devices found: Ensure devices are powered on and on the same network. Some devices don’t broadcast.
- Incomplete information: Not all devices provide full details. GhostESP shows what it can detect from available network traffic.
- Timeout: The scan runs for 3 seconds. If you need more time, run the scan again.